Billy Elliot The Musical
The story of a young Geordie boy aspiring to become a ballet dancer in Britian’s Northern coal fields during the miners’ strike of 1984 proved a smash hit when the feature film was released in 2000, but it isn’t an obvious choice for a musical. The Geordie accent can prove difficult for cast and audience alike, and some find the poverty and grime of the despairing striking miners to be depressing, and yet the 2005 musical is constantly on top ten lists of Best Musicals of the 21st century.
Matt Ward’s new production shows why people love it or are ambivalent. The accents ARE difficult (and varied between Geordie, Yorkshire, and everything in-between) and the score by Elton John doesn’t offer singable songs – except for the hit ”Electricity”, and it’s hard to “Feel Good” about the plight of the Miners in Thatcher’s Britain. And yet, done well, this musical is a triumph of the human will and the search for identity. This production is done very well indeed. In fact, it may be the strongest production yet from Matt Ward and his team.
Director Tim Hill has a real affinity for character-based story-telling and the casting is impeccable throughout. What is awe-inspiring is the quality of the juvenile performers in the show, and that means more than half the cast. There isn’t a weak performance anywhere, and that’s remarkable when you are talking about youngsters who haven’t even reached their teens. But the two stars are Harrison Smith as Billy and Lachlan King as Michael. Both boys are triple threats; both boys nail their accents; understand the relationship between their characters; owned the stage whenever they appeared; and had just the right momentum and pace to drive the show forward. Having the title role in a musical is a daunting task for any performer, yet Harrison Smith showed no signs of nerves and was totally credible as Billy for more than two hours. He is a star in the making. Young Lachlan King as Michael, Billy’s identity searching cross-dressing best mate, is wise beyond his years and with a brilliant sense of comic timing. Their duet “Expressing Yourself”, is the highlight in a show full of highlights. They were, as someone sitting behind me noted, ‘Bloody Brilliant’.
Debora Krizak is one of our very best Music Theatre performers and she gives us a different interpretation of Mrs Wilkinson, the 2nd rate dance teacher who ‘discovers’ Billy’s innate talent. Discarding the warm earth mother persona of Julie Walters on film, and Genevieve Lemon in the original Australian production, she goes for glamour and cynicism in equal measure. Brave choices, but an artist of her calibre would never be content to follow a well-trodden path and so we get a different and more interesting dynamic between her and Billy. Her “Born To Boogie” number with Billy and Mr Wainwright, played by the wonderfully comic Ben Trigger, is a show stopper.
Local legend and doyen of Gold Coast theatre Kate Peters shows why she has had such longevity in this business. As Grandma she manages to be warm, dotty, poignant and full of sass, not to mention the finesse of a timeless performer.
James Shaw is perfect casting as Dad, and his skills as a director were also in evidence as he seamlessly led Billy a step or two downstage in one move on more than one occasion. Daniel R Nixon is a marvellously eclectic young performer who gives Tony a multi-faceted interpretation in a role which is often one dimensional. His work is always excellent. Chloe Rose Taylor, as Billy’s dead Mum, is in fine voice and establishes a real loving rapport with Billy.
The ensemble - as with all Matt Ward productions - are excellent and in fine voice throughout.
Keith Hawley’s choreography is a jewel in the crown of this production. It’s fresh, crisp, and innovative even when it is just synchronised arm movements. I loved every moment. Troy Phillips as Keith’s assistant has contributed to the quality, and the fact that the marvellous Justin Anderson is resident choreographer for the season means it will only get better and sharper over the run. Nicholas Griffin and his musicians do more than just play the score, they inject energy and life into every note.
Kudos too for lighting, sound and set design, which are all hugely successful in the quest for excellence. After the tap-dancing encore, the entire audience was reluctant to leave the theatre, and I can totally understand why. What a joy to have a show of this quality, a genuinely uplifting production in all aspects, right here on our doorstep.
Coral Drouyn
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